AMATEUR VETERINARIAN. EMILY EAST TELLS ME SHE LOVES THREE THINGS, THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, KIDS, AND ANIMALS. BECAUSE SHE WAS QUARANTINED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS, SHE HAS A NEW FURRY BEST FRIEND, ESCROW -- A SQUIRREL. >> HAVING HER WAS SUCH A BLESSING BECAUSE SHE GENUINELY JUST MADE ME REALLY HAPPY AND GIVE ME PURPOSE. FLETCHER THAT PURPOSE WAS LIFESAVING. WHEN EMILY FOUND THE SQUIRREL, THE BABY HAD A HORRIBLE EYE INJURY AND INFECTION, LEADING SOME TO SAY SHE WOULD NOT SURVIVE THE NIGHT. EMILY WOULDN’T HAVE THAT. >> I JUST STARTED DOING MY RESEARCH AND JUST FIGURED IT OUT AND STARTED GETTING TO WORK AND IT WAS ROUND-THE-CLOCK, LIKE 24/7, JUST TRIED TO KEEP THAT EYE CLEAN AND GAVE HER ALL THE FOOD THAT SHE NEEDED, BOTTLE-FED. FLETCHER: THE SQUIRREL HAS MADE A FULL RECOVERY. SHE THINKS EMILY IS HER MOTHER, CLIMBING ON HER AND PLAYING NONSTOP, LIKE WHEN EMILY HAS HER MORNING COFFEE AND WHEN SHE’S EXERCISING. >> I JUST LOVE ANIMALS. I DON’T KNOW, I’VE ALWAYS HAD A CONNECTION TO THEM BUT SOMETHING ABOU WILHELMINA, SHE IS SO SPECIAL. IT WAS JUST SUCH A SOUL CONNECTION AND THAT SOUNDS COMPLETELY INSANE TO SAY, IT’S A SQUIRREL, YOU KNOW? PEOPLE ARE LIKE, YOU ARE CRAZY. FLETCHER: BUT CRAZY IN LOVE IS NOT REALLY A BAD THING DURING THIS PANDEMIC. WHAT WILHELMINA LOVES MOST IS WHEN EMILY SINGS HER TO SLEEP.

Born and raised in Louisiana, Emily Istre is an artist.As an actress, she's appeared on the TV show "NCIS: New Orleans." She's also a singer and gives dancing lessons.But, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she's added to her resume. She's now an amateur veterinarian.Istre loves three things: New Orleans Saints football, kids and animals. Because she was quarantined due to coronavirus, she has a new furry best friend, Willamina the squirrel."Having her is such a blessing, she just made me happy and gave me purpose," said Istre.That purpose was life-saving. When Istre found Willamina at the beginning of her quarantine, the baby squirrel had a horrible eye injury and infection leading some to say she would not survive — but Istre wasn't having any of that."I just started doing my research, figured it out and it was round the clock. I was just trying to keep that eye clean, I gave her all the food she needed and bottle fed her every two hours," said Istre.That TLC worked. Willa, as she's nicknamed, has made a strong recovery, and now she thinks Emily is her mother. The baby squirrel follows her around and jumps on her nonstop."I just love animals, I've always had a connection to them, but something about Willamina, she's so special. It was just a soul connection from the start, which sounds insane to say, and people are like 'you're crazy,' which I reply 'probably so' to them," says Istre.While this COVID-19 love story has gone viral, Istre will soon be sending Willamina to a new, happy home very soon. Willa will soon move to a special facility in Lafayette to be with other squirrels who were raised in a controlled habitat and not the wild.

NEW ORLEANS —

Born and raised in Louisiana, Emily Istre is an artist.

As an actress, she's appeared on the TV show "NCIS: New Orleans." She's also a singer and gives dancing lessons.

Advertisement

But, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she's added to her resume. She's now an amateur veterinarian.

Istre loves three things: New Orleans Saints football, kids and animals. Because she was quarantined due to coronavirus, she has a new furry best friend, Willamina the squirrel.

Emily Istre

"Having her is such a blessing, she just made me happy and gave me purpose," said Istre.

That purpose was life-saving. When Istre found Willamina at the beginning of her quarantine, the baby squirrel had a horrible eye injury and infection leading some to say she would not survive — but Istre wasn't having any of that.

Emily Istre

"I just started doing my research, figured it out and it was round the clock. I was just trying to keep that eye clean, I gave her all the food she needed and bottle fed her every two hours," said Istre.

That TLC worked.

Willa, as she's nicknamed, has made a strong recovery, and now she thinks Emily is her mother. The baby squirrel follows her around and jumps on her nonstop.

"I just love animals, I've always had a connection to them, but something about Willamina, she's so special. It was just a soul connection from the start, which sounds insane to say, and people are like 'you're crazy,' which I reply 'probably so' to them," says Istre.

Emily Istre

While this COVID-19 love story has gone viral, Istre will soon be sending Willamina to a new, happy home very soon. Willa will soon move to a special facility in Lafayette to be with other squirrels who were raised in a controlled habitat and not the wild.